Busman’s Holiday

So it’s August and the sun is trying to come out – but for some, holidays are no escape from the mud. Our two principals choose to spend all their time down holes in the ground… the difference being these holes are of an archaeological nature instead of geotechnical.

They’re currently calculating the coefficient of volume compressibility of Saxon wood ash, to estimate loadings and height of a Norman masonry building. Someone didn’t realise that building stone walls over deep pits of ash and rubbish wasn’t a great idea. They probably did realise it when the wall collapsed though….